Hatch frame construction for car roofs



. 27, 193. D. w. HAWKSWORTH v HATCH FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR GAR ROOFS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1936 INVENTOR DAVID w. HAWKSWORTH BY 1 m4, Al (fl k A TTORNE Ys O D." w IHAWKSWOR'TH Fil'd May 4, 1936 HATCH FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR CAR ROOFS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR DAVID W. HAWKSWORTH BYW' ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 27, 1938 2,141,471 HATCH FRAME ooNsritiio'rron not: CAR aoors DavidW. Hawksworth, Bimungh m, Mich, assignor to ChicagQ-Hutchins Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application May 4, 1936, Srial'No. 77,877

. 6 Claims.

' The inventionrelates to car roofs provided with hatch openings therein and has for its object the obtaining of an improvedconstruction of hatch with more particular reference to the frame 6 thereof and the means for forming a weatherproof joint between said frame and the roof permitting of independent movement thereof. 7 v

' In thepresent state of the art, certain cars and particularly refrigerator cars are provided with 10 hatch'openings in the roof through which the ice or refrigerating material is introduced. The hatch'opening is protected by a frame which forms a tapering liner therefor adapted to receive the closure plug and which at its upper end must form a weather-proof joint with the roof sheeting. It is necessary that this frame should be securely fastened, as .otherwise the joltingof thecar may displace the same thereby destroying the seal and otherwise damaging the 20 construction. It is also necessary to provide for a limited independent movement of the v roofing sheets with reference to said fram'e so as not to interfere with the flexibility of thereof to cornpensate for weaving or other distortion in the 25 roof frame. It is further desirable to have a construction which can be easily assembled with the car roof. My invention, therefore consists in an improved construction through which the conditions above described are fulfilled as here- 30 inafter described.

In the drawings: a v a Figure l is-a plan view of a portion of a car roof having my improved construction of hatch therein; I e a v 35 Figure 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 ofrigurel: Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3'-3 of Figure 1; v e, v

Figure 4 is a sectional perspective View of a 40 portion of the hatch frame; I Figure 5 is a similar view of a portion of the roofing sheet with which the frame is engaged; Figure 6 is a section on line 68 of Figure 2. Refrigerator cars are usually providedwith 45 anouter roof and an inner ceiling between which members is arranged heat insulating material. The hatch opening extends through both the roof and the ceiling and, as above stated, is provided with a liner frame. As specifically shown, A is 50 the outer roof; B the ceiling and C the insulating material. D is the hatch opening which is between transversely extending members E and E forming a portion of the ceiling and roof frame. F and F are longitudinally extending members 55 which form the other sides of the hatch opening and the upper faces of which conform to the pitch of the roof.

The outer roof is formed by metallic roofing sheets resting upon the'roof frame, and the roof- H ing sheet A which covers the portion of the 5' frame in which the hatch opening is located, is provided with a corresponding opening therein. The metal of the sheet surrounding this opening is pressed upward to form an obliquely extending W raised ledge G terminating in an upwardly ex- 10 tending flange G. These portions are continuous around the opening, while the opening within the flange G is somewhat greater in dimension than the opening between the members E, E and k F, F. I is a hatchframe having tapering side walls I which fit within the hatch opening against the mernbers E, ,E and F, F. The upper portion of this frame extends above the level of the roof and is provided with a laterally extend- Y ing flange 1 a downwardlyextending flange I and an obliquely and outwardly extending flange I adopted to rest upon the obliquefiange' G of the roofing sheet A. To facilitate manufacture, the portions, I and I maybe separately formed p from the portions 1 and I and the portion 1 i5 is provided with a laterally extending portion I which overlaps the portion I and is secured thereto, preferably by welding. The portion I is also spaced from the upstanding flange G on the roofing sheetso as to permit lateral movement of the latter without interference. Tohold the frame I in position so that it cannot be displaced by-the jolting of the car, it is provided with securing brackets J which are attached thereto, preferably by welding. These brackets have a portion J fitting against the portion I of the frame, a fiange J fitting beneath the portion 1 and the outwardly extending lower flange J which is bifurcated to receive a securing bolt K; There are preferably four of the brackets J secured on opposite sides of the frame and thebolts K extend downward through apertures in the members E and E, as shown in Figure 3, The upper head K of each bolt is secured from turning by a locking member L which is. also preferably welded.- to the member J. This locking member has a portion L extending outward spacedfrom the'fiange J and at its outer end a portion L which can be turned down to lock the head from disengagement.

With the construction above described, after the roofing sheet A is placed in position the hatch frame I is inserted in the hatch opening. Before doing this the bolts K are engaged with the brackets J and the heads K of these bolts are locked by bending down the outer portions L of the locking member L. The bolts are then threaded through bores in the members E and E v and the frame I lowered to rest the flanges I upon the obliquely extending portions G of the roofing sheet. The frame is then clamped down by tightening the nuts K which engage threaded ends of the bolts K thereby tightly pressing the flanges I against the portions G to make a weather-proof joint. Nevertheless, these portions are permitted to move laterally with reing of the roof.

The hatch is provided with theusual closure plug M and hatch cover N. These are provided with hinges O and P which are pivotally attached to a bracket Q on an angle bar R which extends transversely of the roof and are suitably anchored thereto. A specific construction of these members is not, however, a part of the present invention. 7

What I claim as my invention is: a

1. In a car roof having a hatch opening therein, a roofing sheet having a registering opening of larger dimensions and provided with an upwardly extending continuous annular flange surrounding said opening, a .metallic hatch frame having a depending portion extending within said hatch opening and a portion extending upward above said annular flange and then outward and downward to continuously surround said flange and bear upon said roofing sheet below t said flange with a clearance between the same and said flange, and securing means for holding said metallic frame down upon said roofing sheet to form a weather-proof joint while permitting independent movement of said sheet.

2. In a car roof having a hatch opening therein, a roofing sheet having a registering opening of larger dimensions and provided with an upwardly extending continuous annular, flange surround and a portion extending upward above said annular flange and then outward and downward to continuously surround said flange and bear upon said roofing sheet below said flange with a clearance between the same and said flange, and securing means engaging saidmetallic frame between the inner and outer portions thereof for holding said frame down upon the roof and for forming a weatherproof joint between said frame and roofing sheet permitting independent movement of the latter.

3. In a car roof having a hatch opening therein, a roofing sheet having a registering opening of larger dimensions with a raised portion surrounding said opening and providedwith an upwardly extending continuous annular flange at its inner edge, ametallic hatch frame provided with a depending portion fitting within said hatch opening and a portion extending, upwardly above said flange then' outward and.

said flange, and securing means engaging said metallic frame between the outer and'inner portions thereof for holding said frame down upon the roof and pressing said foot portion against the raised portion of said sheet to form a weatherproof joint while permitting independent movement of thersheet. V

4. In 'a'car roof, the combination with a roof frame having longitudinally and latitudinally extending members surrounding a hatch opening, of a roofing sheet supported on said frame and having a registering opening of larger dimensions with an upwardly extending continuous annular flange surrounding said opening, a metallic hatch frame having a depending portion within said hatch opening seated against said longitudinally and latitudinally extending members, said frame also extending upward above said annular flange then outward and downward to continuously surround said flange with a clearance between the sameand said flange, said downward portion terminating in a foot flange for resting upon said sheet below said flange,

brackets secured to said hatch frame outside the depending portion thereof, and bolts engaging said brackets extending downward through said roof frame whereby said metallic frame is held down upon the roof with a weather-proof joint between said foot flange and roofing sheet pering said hatch opening and a portion extending upward above said annular flange then outward and downwardto rest upon said sheet below said flange, with a clearance between the same and said flange, said metallic frame having brackets welded thereto outside said depending portion and having clearance inside said flange, and

' bolts having the heads thereof engaging said ing a downwardly tapering portion with a laterally outwardly extending flange at its upper end, a second member having a laterally inwardly extending flange welded to said laterally outwardly extending flange of the first member, said second member having a downwardly extending annular outer portion terminating in. a

. laterally extending foot flange, brackets having a securing portion beneath and extending downward from said laterally outwardly extending flange welded to the outer'face of said firstmemher and arranged between the same and the downwardly extending portion of said second member, and bolts engaging said brackets for securing said metallic frame down upon said roof frame. V 7

DAVID W. HAWKSWORTH. 

